The Chairman of the Bali Provincial Representative Council, Dewa Made Mahayadnya, announced that the Trans Metro Dewata (TMD) bus service is set to resume operations after a two-month hiatus.
As reported by Detikbali, “The target is as soon as possible; hopefully, it will be operational by March,” said Mahayadnya after meeting with the Student Executive Board of Udayana University and members of the Bali Transport Discussion Forum at Bali parliament office on Thursday, February 27, 2025.
No Shifting on Budget
In addition, Dewa Made Mahayadnya explained that the operational budget for the TMD buses still needs to go through the official mechanism.
This includes coordination with Bali Governor Wayan Koster and approval from the Bali Representative Council’s plenary session. The TMD bus budget could be arranged by utilizing it first, without waiting for the 2025 revised regional budget.
“There won’t be any budget shifts, but the allocation will be prioritized through a plenary session. We will coordinate with the Governor to use the budget ahead of the 2025 revised fiscal year,” explained Mahayadnya, commonly known as Dewa Jack.
He assured that despite central government efficiency policies, TMD operations will not be affected, as it is an urgent need for the public.
Collaboration with the district governments is also necessary to ensure that the TMD service can cover more areas in Bali. However, not all TMD bus routes can immediately resume, as some of the buses need to be inspected first to ensure they are fit for use.
“Initially, there were six corridors, but we will recheck the buses to see which ones are still suitable for operation. Not all buses can be put back into service immediately,” he said.
Students Urge Government to Reactivate TMD
Meanwhile, the operator of the TMD buses, PT Satria Trans Jaya, through its Operational Manager, Ida Bagus Eka Budi, revealed that they will follow all necessary procedures.
Eka Budi also expressed concern about the fate of the bus drivers, who have currently been temporarily laid off, but they will be called back as soon as the TMD service is resumed.
Since the suspension of the TMD buses on January 1, 2025, there has been disappointment among regular passengers, especially Udayana University students.
They expressed financial difficulties due to having to replace TMD bus with alternative transportation that is far more expensive. The students have urged the government to reactivate the TMD bus service and improve the bus stop infrastructure to make it more comfortable.
Responding to these concerns, Dewa Made Mahayadnya assured that the TMD buses will resume operation with a budget allocation that will not interfere with other sectors.
According to Radarbuleleng, he emphasized that only buses in good condition will be operated to ensure user comfort. The resumption of TMD operations aligns with Law No. 22 of 2009 on Traffic and Road Transport, which mandates the provision of proper public transportation.